The Nets traded recently acquired point guard Steve Blake to the Detroit Pistons for the rights to forward Quincy Miller, the team announced Monday night.
Miller, a former second-round pick, is another low-risk, young (22 years old) pickup who has yet to find his NBA niche. He was cut after two seasons in Denver and spent last season bouncing between the Sacramento Kings, Pistons, and the D-League. In 69 career games over three seasons, he posted averages of 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game. He spent one college season at Baylor, backed up by recently waived Nets power forward Cory Jefferson.
The move appears to be financial at the head. Miller has a non-guaranteed deal, and cutting Blake saves the Nets an extra $2.1 million next season and opens up a roster spot for one of their Summer League players, possibly point guard Ryan Boatright or big man Cliff Alexander. But Marc Stein reports that the Nets might be interested in bringing Miller in through training camp:
Update from Brooklyn: Source familiar with Nets' thinking says current plan is to bring newly acquired Quincy Miller to training camp
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 14, 2015
Nets' current plan indeed to bring Quincy Miller to camp … but word is more roster trimming can get Brooklyn closer to $2M under tax line
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 14, 2015
Miller’s contract comes with a small guarantee if he’s still on the team by July 15th, and more if he’s with the team on the first day of the season. So the Nets could conceivably kick the can down the road, bring him into training camp for a pittance, and figure out how to trim the roster later.
The Nets acquired Blake, 35, on draft night from the Portland Trail Blazers with 23rd overall pick Rondae Hollis-Jefferson for Mason Plumlee and the rights to Pat Connaughton.
